Why do we fall, Dick?
by TheNinjaAndTheTroll
Summary: Dick visits the manor for a few minutes to see how Alfred is doing. However, the butler knows there's a more important reason why Master Dick visited the manor. Dick!Whumage Spoilers for 2x16, "Complications"


_Author's note: Okay, I just have a lot of feelings left over from Complications. I feel bad for Alfred, I mean, Bruce isn't around nor is Tim or Dick that much because they're insanely busy with the team. It's my headcannon the reason we don't see Barbara at all because she's the one mainly responsible for Gotham City. (Maybe if the comic wasn't canceled, that would have been revealed.) And now four out of the five living bats (well, excluding Jason. I mean, come on! We know Ra's has brought him back to life already ;) ) are gone, either on another planet or abducted. Also, if I understand the meaning of whumage, it's when a character is hurt either mentally, emotionally or physically but Google couldn't help me on that :(_

_Disclaimer: If I owned Young Justice/wrote for Young Justice this would totally happened somewhere either this episode or the next one which is probably not going to happen._

-Why do we fall, Dick?-

Alfred knows something's up. He knows that Masters Tim and Dick are busy on the team because of what was going on with the Light and its partner, but they would occasionally call or text the butler to let them know that they were alright and keep him updated. Miss Barbara was the one responsible for looking over Gotham but she still had duties to attend to on the account of the team, so he didn't see her much either. But after two days of no message from them, the butler was getting suspicious.

That was when Dick arrived at the manor. The young man looked antsy and almost guilty as Alfred poured some coffee for him.

"I assume that Miss Barbara and Master Tim are out doing something with the team?" Alfred asked, patiently waiting for Dick to tell him what was going on.

Dick gave a half-hearted nod as he stared into the coffee that Alfred had given him.

"I… can only stay for a few minutes, I just wanted to see how you were, that's all," Dick explained, trying to keep a stoic expression.

"I'm alright, but something tells me that you aren't," Alfred replied, raising an eyebrow at Dick for an explanation.

The raven-haired acrobat's face contorted as he tried not to let his emotions get the best of him.

"It's all my fault," Dick blurted out, gripping onto the handle of his coffee cup tightly.

Alfred sat down next to him and placed a hand on Dick's shoulder, comforting him to go on.

"I-I trusted too easily. This Martian, Green Beetle, M'gann said he was fine but," Dick drew a sharp breath, "She hasn't been on her game lately. Blue Beetle-I mean Jaime Reyes-apparently becomes evil in the future. That's what Impulse said anyways. Green Beetle proclaimed how he managed to control his scarab. I should have known Jaime would ask him to do it to his. He was desperate to do anything to stop the future from happening," Dick paused, with a remorseful look on his face.

"Bruce would have seen through his lies, Alfred, but I couldn't. He-he took out everyone after the last mission. Alfred, I failed them, what if we get there too late to save all of them?!" Dick clenched his teeth, slamming the table with his fist hard enough that some of the coffee spilled from the cup. "What a rotten leader I've turned out to be. I can't even keep our retired ones safe from harm!"

Alfred allowed Dick to fall into his arms for comfort, bitterly weeping. Just then, it wasn't a young adult who was under a lot of pressure to perform right and keep his teammates safe, it was a young boy who had recently lost his family and felt guilty about not doing enough to save them.

"Why do we fall, Dick?" Alfred asked him.

Before he could formulate an answer, the butler answered his own question.

"So we can learn to pick ourselves up again," The butler faintly smiled. "Now, Master Dick, what would Master Jason say to you?"

Dick gave a crooked smile. "He would say that Babs is tough and that she would be able to keep Timmy safe from harm, and that the others were alright too, that we would always be able to save them and he'd tell me to get off my butt, stop doubting myself, and go save them," Dick gave a bitter laugh, thinking of the dead Robin that nobody could have saved, not even Batman.

"You're a good leader, Master Dick. You don't have to be like Batman to be a good leader. You're a different type of leader. However that doesn't mean you're any lesser than him. I know you will find a way to save the team and Mr. Reyes as well." Alfred gave raven haired man a squeeze to the shoulder.

"Thanks, Alfred." Dick genuinely smiled at the elderly man as he drank a sip of his coffee.

Dick suddenly tensed; his face lit up excitedly then turned a little bleak. Sighing, he turned to Alfred.

"M'gann managed to escape Black Manta's ship! I'm going to meet her in Bludhaven and explain to her what has happened. I'm afraid my few minutes are up," Dick gave a regretful smile. "Bye Alfie!"

He gave a wave as he headed off to the nearest zeta beam.

"Goodbye, Master Dick, and good luck!" The butler smiled after him. The acrobat had grown up so much since the night he arrived at the manor. Alfred couldn't wait for their return, especially Master Bruce's. The old manor was getting far too lonely for the faithful butler.

-KatieTheTroll-

_Author's Note: I'm sorry, but I feel like this is really cheesy. I especially wanted the "What would Jason say to you?" part be more...I don't know, better? So, I'm sorry if I wasted your time reading this :/ Moving on, ten brownie points if anyone can tell me the Nolan Batman trilogy reference and which movie it's from :)_

_Note, reviews make me happy and they brighten up my day and help plot bunnies get going. So it's best for you to review :D_


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